Collapsible tube



Jan. 5, 1937. F. REMINGTON ET AL 2,066,947

` Y COLLAPSIBLETUBE Filed May 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Euro1/uu;

Jan. 5,1937. F. REMINGTON l-:T AL 2,066,947

GOLLPS'IBLE TUBE I Filed May 16, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT 'ol-FICE COLLAPSIBLE TUBE Application May 16, 1935, Serial'No. 21,870 13 Claims. (Cl. 221-60) This invention relates to improvements in collapsible tubes, and has to do, more particularly, with the provision of means for sealing the dispensing necks thereof during the period prior to;

initial use of the tube contents.

As is well known in the general'art to which thepresent invention relates, the conventional ticularly in cases Where the preparation packaged contains volatile ingredients or other substances Which are ailected by exposure to air. Because of this recognized fact, a large number of such tubes are provided with an innerclosure or bore seal consisting of an integral metallic web or diaphragm formed across the bore of the tube neck 'coincidentally with the manufacture of the tube by extrusion methods. multaneously forming the inner seal from the material of the tube proper on a' commercial scale, it is practically impossible to hold the thickness of the' web within narrow'limits. As a result, in many `instances, such sealing webs are far thicker than necessary or desirable and, because 25 of the toughness of the metalsfrom which such tubes are commonly fabricated; considerable pressure must be applied upon the implement used to effect puncture of the seal and opening of the' dispensing bore.

v430 Moreover, the user of iproduct s packaged inv collapsible tubes of the foregoing pre-sealed type .generally employs, as' a seal-puncturing implement, whatever means is closest at hand, be it penknife, pin, fork, nail file, or other convenient device. Because of the diversity of puncturing implements employed .and 'their inaptitude for the purpose, as well as the lack of uniformity in the thickness and the toughness of the sealing webs themselves, vthe user frequently exerts such pressure upon the tube body, in grasping thesame during rupture of the seal, as to cause partial loss of tube contents, sometimes so violent as to be characterized by a. squirting thereof. v

Many ofthe preparations packaged' in such presealed tubes are highly active chemically, for

example, depilatory creams, rubber cement, and

the like. Violent discharge or squirting of such substances, particularly into the eyes of the a hazard. In addition to the objection to such tubes predicated upon the partial lossof contents during unsealing, it frequently occurs that the tube neck, with its threads, is deformed to such In thus siv prospective user, is an admitted nuisance, if not' anextent that the cap provided foi-subsequent;

closure is ydiflicult or impossible of reapplication in eifective resealingrelation.

With these and other objections and disadvantages inherent to this heretofore universally accepted prior art construction, the present invention has for its purpose several well dened objects.

`It is, accordingly, a primary object of this invention to provide an hermetically -pre-sealed collapsible tube which may be more easily opened for use of its contents than those embodying constructions heretofore known.

It is another object of this invention to provide an hermetically pre-sealed collapsible tube which does not require the employment of a puncturing implement to render the contents of the tube available for use.

It is an object of this invention to provide an hermetically pre-sealed collapsible tube which, while `readily openable at will, is secure against loss or deterioration of contentsduring shipping and storage. v

It is an object of this inventionto provide an hermetically pre-sealed collapsible tube which, when unsealed for use, is provided with a substantially unrestricted discharge port from which contents of the tube may be dispensed with facility and neatness as contrasted with the snaky or otherwise irregular emission char- 'vacteristlc of tubes the necks of which require puncturing with a pointed implement.

It is an object of this invention to provide an c hermetlcally pre-sealed collapsible tube in which the seal-rupturing operation does not necessitate the application oi? a strangle-hold" upon the body of the tube and therefore does not occasion unintentional loss of tube contents resulting from inadvertent constriction of the tube body during the opening operation.

lIt .is an object of this invention to provide an hermetically pre-sealed collapsible tube the-sealing means of which is ruptured prior to removal of the conventional threaded cap associated therewith, thus positively precluding ejection of contentseven in instances where, due to previous deformation of the tube in shipping or expansion of the contents in storage, internal pressure is present and seeks relief during rupture of the seal.

-It is an object of this invention to provide hermetic sealing means for collapsible tubes which sealing means is cleanly ruptured aifording no disiiguration of the tube neck or inter- It is an object of this invention to provide a non-metallic hermetic seal for collapsible tubes which is adequately resistant to the extremes of temperature and humidity experienced in tropica1climates.

It is an object of this invention to provide an easily ruptured hermetic pre-seal for conventional screw-threaded vcollapsible tube necks, which seal serves the supplemental function of so locking the closure cap thereon as to. preclude dissociation thereof even by rough handling in shipment, i

It is an object of this invention to provide lan inexpensive method and means for hermetically presealing the discharge orices of collapsible tubes, which method and means are universally applicable and effective for the packagset forth in the following specification. Our invention is clearly defined in the appended claims. Structures constituting preferredl embodiments of our invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view, on a reduced scale, diagrammatically illustrating a plurality of collapsible tubes with assembled threaded caps of conventionalv design mounted in apparatus for applying to thel dispensing neck of each of said tubes, an hermetic seal constituting a preferred embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a. detailed sectional view of the neck portion of one of said collapsible tubes, showing the seal-applying spindlebearing a drop of sealing material and about to deposit said sealing material upon the inner surface of the tube closure; n

Fig. 3 is a similar detailed sectional view showing the sealing material after it has spread, by surface tension, into wetting and sealing re- 'lationwith the Walls of the dispensing opening of the tube, the seal-applying `spindle having been elevated and removed from the tube;

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view of the type of collapsible tube closure illustrated in the previous figures and found to be most suitable for use with the sealing means and method con'- stituting` a preferred embodiment of this invention; l

Fig. 5 is a detail view, in elevation, of the closure member, showing the inside faces thereof;

Fig. 6 is a view, in side elevation, of another form of apparatus adapted for the application of a seal constituting a preferred embodiment of this invention, the neck and cap portions of ,the

collapsible tube mounted upon the seal-applying mandrel of said apparatus being shown in section;

Fig. 'z isa detailed sectional view. of the tipw Fig. 9 is a vertical-sectional view of a collapsible tube and cap closure provided with an hermetic seal constituting a. preferred embodiment of this invention, saidtube having been lled with con-- tents to be packaged'and beings in condition I'tapered plug portion I 6 which extends into the' for crimpingand closure of its filling and; and

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional View similar to Fig. 3, but on' a reduced scale, said view illustrating another form of sealing .member resulting from practice of our4 invention and constituting a slightly modified embodiment thereof.

In the application drawings, Figures 1 and 6 are drawn to reduced scale; Fig. 9 is drawn on an enlarged scale of approximately 2:1 and clearly illustrate the form of the seal.

Like numerals of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In a broad aspect, this invention consists in Figs. 2, 3, and 4'are greatly enlarged to more the Substitution, for the integral metallic sealing web commonly employed in collapsible tubes, of a sealing lm or membrane of initially fluid or plastic material, which sealing member is adhesively bonded to the` adjacent surfaces of the dispensing neck of the tube and the closure assembled therewith, said sealing member being formed of a substance or composition which is non-solvent and inert in the contents to be packaged in the thus sealed tube. In a narrow' sense, the sealing member is applied in a fluid or plastic condition and is of a nature such thatbefore filling of the tube with 'the contents to be packaged, a setting of the seal takes place such that the seal is brittle or frangible in nai ture and is easily ruptured upon removal or rotation of the closure member with respect to the neck of the tube. The expression pre-sealing, as employed in this specification, refersI to the provisio-n of the hereindescribed hermetic seal between the adjacent faces of the tube neck and the closure cap assembled therewith, at a` time prior to the conventional filling of the tube through its butt end and the closure of said butt end 'by crimping. i

More specifically, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated a preferred form of the,.present invention, Fig. 3 discloses the dispensing neck portion Il of a conventional collapsible tube (shown in part) which, neck I l is provided with van external thread I2 upon which is assembled a cap member I3 having internal vthreads i4 complementary to the thread I2 of the tube neck. 'Ihe cap -erably of knurled form to facilitate gripping thereof by thengers, and a central internal bore of the dispensing neck Il of the tube and is seated therein, defining therewith an annular groove I1 of V-shape inward of the line of contact of the plug portion i6 withithe tube neck. Filling the annular groove I1, and bonded to the portions of therplug element I6 and the neck Il which define said annular groove l1, is a sealing element I 8. The sealing element I B'is formed in situ upon lthe annular groove defining surfaces of the cap and neck member'by applying, y

to the cap member as indicated in Fig. 2, a drop of fluid or plastic material which has the characteristi'c of wetting they material of the plug portion I6 and spreading thereon, by surface tension, into adhesive wetting contact with the tity thereof, to the inner surface of the cap member with measured uniformity.

In particular, and with reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings, a plurality of open-ended collapsible tubes are assembled with cap members of the type illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 and are mounted, caps down, in a supporting member or tray 2| provided with a plurality of tube-receiving sockets 22. Sealing material is delivered into the bank of .tubes thus supported in the tray 2l l by a series of appropriately spaced spindle members I9 carried by an arm 23. A supply of sealing material in a fluid state is maintained at a fixed level in the trough 24 by a hydrostatic feeding reservoir 25l of the type commonly employed for the maintenance of fluids in such devices as drinking fountains for poultry. By means of a suitable mechanism (not shown) the arm- 23 is periodically actuated to immerse thetips 2U of the bank of spindles I9 in the supply of sealing material maintained in the trough 24, causing equal quantities of.

sealing material to be Withdrawn upon thev ends 2D of the spindles and thence to be carried into the bank of tubes in the support 2I and transferred to the inner surfaces of the several cap members I5. The spindles, after transfer of their drop-like quantities of sealing material upon the respective caps, are withdrawn from the tubes thus operated upon, and the deposited quantities of sealing material spread over the respective surfaces of the plug portions I6 as described, assuming the form illustrated in Fig. -3. The operation just described is cyclic, a new bank of tubes maintained in inverted position by another tray 2|, or another series of-sockets 22 in the same tray, being moved into position during the return of the spindlesto, the supply trough 24. The bank of tubes which have been operated upon is removed, either automatically o r by an operator, and replacedby a new set of as yet un-proeessed tubes during the application of sealing material to the succeeding bank s and, upon completion of the operation upon the :or the contents. practice, formed'of plastic materials which have of the bank, it is obvious kthat the sealing mate,

rial may be applied eccentrically by appropriate displacement of the spindles I 9. The disk-like sealing member illustrated in Fig. 3 results from the central application of the drop of sealing material. It is obvious, however, that by eccentrically applying a. droplet of material, and employing a substance of relatively high viscosity or ofa lesser quantity, the 'sealing member I8a.

thus formed will be annular rather than disklike and will ll only the groove I 1. Such a construction is illustrated in Fig. 10 and will sufifice in most instances, particularly where the nature of the contents to be packaged is such that actual contact thereof with the material of the cap, and over a long period, will not result in deleterious effects upon either the cap Such caps are, in commercial .fair resistance tostrongly basic materials. In some instances. however, as where'highly alkaline contents are to be packaged, it is desirable to employ a` sealing member of disk-like form such as illustrated in Fig. 3,- in order to prevent injury to the cap and to its purely mechanical sealing surfaces Iupon which reliance must be placed after the initial seal has been broken, i. e., during the period of consumption of the tube contents.

In Fig. 6 is illustrated an alternative form of apparatus for the in situ fabrication of an hermetic sealingvmember embodying our invention. In this apparatus each collapsible tube, prior to filling, is mounted upon 'a revolving mandrel 26 having an axial passage or duct 21 therein which extends into the dispensing bore of the mounted collapsible tube and terminates in close proximity with the inner surface of the plug portion I6 of the closure I3. The mandrel, with its assembled collapsibletube, ,is rotated, at slow speed, by conventional `means (not Ishown) such as are employed, in this art, for

rotating mandrels forming part of coating, printing or trimming machines. If desired, these operations, or any of them, may be executed by a suitable in-building of the present apparatus with such machines. A reservoir ,28 is employed for containing a suitable quantity of fluid sealforming material, and feeding thereof in minute quantity to the cap face is effected through the operation of the valve 29 in the feed line 30 coupled to the duct 21 of the mandrel by a suitable stuing box 3l. The valve 29 is provided with linkage 32 which .is driven in timed relation Vwith the mandrel 2B, or with mechanism (not shown) for automatically placing andl removing tubes therefrom, which linkage provides a nice actuation of the valve such as necessary to effect deposit of a drop-like quantity of sealing material on the inner surfaces of yeach successive tube and cap. In the case of air-setting sealing compositions, each collapsible` tube as treated, is removed from the horizontally disposed mandrel 26 and placed upright, cap down, in a suitable stand during which subsequent period spreading and nal setting takes place. forced air contact may be availed of to expedite setting of the seals.

Collapsible tubes, thus provided with neck seals, are ready for fillingv in the conventional manner illustrated in Fig. 9, the packaged contents 33 being placed in direct contact with the sealing member I8 by the lling nozzle 34. After filling, the charging end Ia of the tube is closed and sealed in` the conventional manner.

.For many purposes, particularly in instancesy Where the contents to be packaged are relatively neutral or acidic in reaction, synthetic resinous sealing materials of the phenol-formaldehydecondensations type have been found highly satisfactory. Such compositions, in a vvarnish-like form, are readily obtainable at low cost and provide hard, adherentfllms which are sunlciently brittle or frangible to serve admirably for thepresent purpose. f

Where the contents to be packagedl are strongly alkaline, as in the case of depilatory creams containing calcium sulfhydrate, special resinuous materials of alkaline-resistant nature are similarly available. Natural resins are suitable for many purposes, and insome instances parafil'n and lower-melting petroleum derivatives are advantageously adaptable because of their inert nature .and non-solvent character in aqueous colloidal preparations. vOtl'ier sealing .materials Various expedients such as heating or vention in providing a seal for collapsible tubes for the packaging of special compositions.

Preferably, though not by way of limitation, in employing setting materials for the seal formation, care should be taken to prevent access of the sealing material to the threads of the cap and tube neck. Where such sealing materials are of a searching nature and gain access to the threads, for example by reason of inadequate seating of the plug portion `I6 in the bore of the neck, the cap may become so firmly locked to the neck as to require excessive effort to effect dissociation thereofand rupture of the sealing member Il. Numerous structural variations of the illustrated form of the invention,

for example modification of the cross sectional shape of the dispensing bore to provide ribbonlike' or other-shapes of the contents as dispensed, are contemplated. We, therefore, claim our invention broadly as indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A collapsible tube having a neck` provided with a bore for dispensing contents packaged in said tube, a detachable closure associated with said neck and closing said bore,-and hermeticsealing means for pre-sealing said neck and ciosure and automatically rupturable upon initial removal of said closure, said sealing means cornprising a thin film of material adhesively bonded to the inner face of said closure and the walls of said bore and non-solvent in the contents packaged in said tube.

2. A collapsible tube having a neck provided with a bore for dispensing contents packaged in said tube,` a detachable closure associated with said neck and closingfsaid bore, and hermetic sealing means for pre-sealing said neck and closure and automatically rupturable upon initial removal of said closure,- said sealing means comprising athin membrane-like film of non-'metallic material adhesively bonded to the inner face of said closure and the walls of said bore and non-solvent in the contents packaged in said tube.

3. A collapsible tube having a threaded neck provided with a bore for dispensing contents packaged in said tube, a threaded cap seated upon said neck and closing said bore, and hermetic sealing means for pre-sealing said neck and closure automatically rupturable upon unthreading of said cap, said sealing means comprising a thin film of material adhesively bonded to the inner face of said cap and the walls of said bore and non-solvent in the contents packaged in said tube. n

4. A collapsible tube having a threaded neck provided with a bore for dispensing'contents packaged in said tube, a threaded cap seated upon said neck and closing said bore,.and hermetic sealing means for presealing said neck and closure automatically rupturable 'upon un` threading of said cap, said sealing means comprising a thin membrane-like film of `non-metallic material adhesively bonded to the inner face of said cap and the walls of said bore and nonsolvent inthe contents packaged in said tube.

5. A collapsible tube having a. threaded neck provided with a bore for dispensing contents packaged in said tube, a threaded cap associated with said tube neck and closing said tube neck and closing said bore, and means for initially hermetically sealing said neck and closure and securing said cap against inadvertent dissociation from said neck, said last-recited means comprising a thin film of solidied plastic material adhesively bonded to the inner face of said cap, and the walls of said bore, said solidified sealing material -having the characteristic of being inert to, and non-solvent in, the contents packaged in said tube and having such resistance to fracture Aas to preclude loosening of said cap in the absence of the application of positive rotative eiort thereto.`

6. A collapsible tube having an externally threaded neck provided with a central bore for dispensing contents packaged insaid tube, a cap member having an internally threaded portion engageable with the threads of said tube neck and an internal plug-like portion receivable Within the bore of said neck when said cap is assembled therewith, and means for hermetically pre-sealing said plug portion in said bore, said last-recited meansY comprising a thin vfilm of material adhesively bonded to said plug portion and the walls of said bore and having the characteristic of being non-solvent in the contents packaged in said tubo` 7. A collapsible tube having an externally threaded neck provided with a central bore for dispensingcontents packaged in said tube, a cap member having an internally threaded portion engageable with the threads of said tube neck and an internal plug-like portion receivable tion engageable with the threads of Asaid tubeA neck and an internal plug-like portion of tapered form seatable in said cylindrical bore and dehning therewith, a groove-like annular space, and means for hermetically pre-sealing said plug portion in said bore, said last-recited means comprisingva thin annular lm of adhesive material disposed in said groove-like annular space, said annular film of material having the character-'- istic of being non-solvent in the contents packaged in said tube. Y

9. A' collapsible A tube having an externally threaded neck provided with a cylindrical bore for dispensing contents packaged in said tube, a cap member having an internally threaded portion engageable with the threads of said tube neck and an internal plug-like portion of tapered form seatable in said cylindrical bore and denning therewith, a groove-like annular space,l and means for hermetically pre-sealing said plug portion in said bore, said last-recited means comprising a thin annular lm of solidified 'plastic cementitious material disposed in said groovelike annular space, said annular lm of material having the characteristic of being non-solvent in the contents packaged in said tube.

l0. A collapsible tube having a neck provided with a -bore for dispensing contents packaged in means comprising a thin lm of plastic adhesive said plug-like member in said bore and prevent` ing unintentional dissociation thereof from said tube neck, said last-.recited means comprising a solidied film of initially fluid adhesive material rupturable upon removal or rotation of said plug with respect to said neck. I

`12. A collapsible tube having a reduced neck provided with a bore for dispensing contents packaged in said tube, a. detachable cap elementv on said tube neck, and means for hermetically pre-sealing said dispensing neck and retaining DISCLAIM ER 2,066,947.-Freder'ic Remington, Elizabeth, and Lambert S' said cap thereon, said means comprising a vthin annular illm of initially plastic adhesive material in sealing contact with the inner surface of said cap and said tube neck.

13. A` shipping and dispensing containerl for plastic acidic materials comprising a collapsible tube terminating at one end in a thickened neck portlonprovided with a central dispensing bore, a cap member detachably secured to the endo! said tube neck, closing said bore, and a thin brittle iilm of synthetic resinous material adhesively bonded to the inner surface of said cap and said neck, hermetically sealing said parts, said reslnous material being of an acid-resistant character insoluble in the contents to be packaged.A t

' FREDERIC REMINGTON.

L. SIGFRED LINDEROTH. Ja.

red Linderoth, Jr.,

Newark, N. J. CoLLAPsIBLE TUBE. v Patent dated anuary 5, 1937. lDisclalmer filed November 3, 1939, by the'assignee, Peerless Tube Company. Hereb enters this disclaimer to claim 13 in said specification. Gazette November 28, 1989.]

said plug-like member in said bore and prevent` ing unintentional dissociation thereof from said tube neck, said last-.recited means comprising a solidied film of initially fluid adhesive material rupturable upon removal or rotation of said plug with respect to said neck. I

`12. A collapsible tube having a reduced neck provided with a bore for dispensing contents packaged in said tube, a. detachable cap elementv on said tube neck, and means for hermetically pre-sealing said dispensing neck and retaining DISCLAIM ER 2,066,947.-Freder'ic Remington, Elizabeth, and Lambert S' said cap thereon, said means comprising a vthin annular illm of initially plastic adhesive material in sealing contact with the inner surface of said cap and said tube neck.

13. A` shipping and dispensing containerl for plastic acidic materials comprising a collapsible tube terminating at one end in a thickened neck portlonprovided with a central dispensing bore, a cap member detachably secured to the endo! said tube neck, closing said bore, and a thin brittle iilm of synthetic resinous material adhesively bonded to the inner surface of said cap and said neck, hermetically sealing said parts, said reslnous material being of an acid-resistant character insoluble in the contents to be packaged.A t

' FREDERIC REMINGTON.

L. SIGFRED LINDEROTH. Ja.

red Linderoth, Jr.,

Newark, N. J. CoLLAPsIBLE TUBE. v Patent dated anuary 5, 1937. lDisclalmer filed November 3, 1939, by the'assignee, Peerless Tube Company. Hereb enters this disclaimer to claim 13 in said specification. Gazette November 28, 1989.] 

